Posted by David Wetzel
Web 2.0 Tools for Teaching and Learning
Why use Web 2.0 tools in science and math classes? The primary reason is they facilitate access to input and interaction with content through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
These tools offer enormous advantages for science and math teachers, in terms of helping their students learn using Web 2.0 tools. For example:
- Most of these tools can be edited from any computer connected to the Internet. Teachers can add, edit and delete information even during class time.
- Students learn how to use these tools for academic purposes and, at the same time, can transfer their use to their personal lives and future professional careers.
- RSS feeds allow students to access all the desired research information on one page.
- Students learn to be autonomous in their learning process.
Online Tools: Supporting Student Learning with Interactive Tools
The following 10 Web 2.0 tools should be part of any science and math classroom (in no specific order).
Twitter – helps students learn to create clear and concise communication with other students and experts, because of the 140 character limitation. Classroom activities integrating twitter cause students to think outside the box as then extend their understanding of concepts beyond the basics.
Google Earth – the possibilities are unlimited regarding the integration of science and math with this free software program by Google. Google Earth projects provide real-time perspective of everything affecting the earth’s environment. Using this program, students have access to data which was only available to scientists a few short years ago.
Google Reader – students can use this RSS Aggregator to collect, annotate, and share research during collaborative projects. Teachers who use student blogs can keep track of student posts in one place. Teacher can also share items, provide links for research projects, provide science or math journal prompts, or WebQuests.
SlideShare – this Web 2.0 tool offers the ability to overcome common problems both teachers and students have when giving presentations in class. SlideShare also provides the ability to eliminate the often used phrase – “fear of using technology in the classroom.” After spending time preparing a dynamic presentation providing another level for overcoming technical difficulties are worth the effort.
VoiceThread – using Voice Thread creates an interactive classroom which can be used in almost any science and math grade level. Teachers can use this Web 2.0 tool for digital storytelling of concepts by students, causing critical thinking, student project presentations, and even a tool for assessment.
Digital Media – follows the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words!” when it comes to science and math. The use of digital media is ideal for helping students construct background knowledge for developing a better understanding of science and math concepts.
WallWisher – this online application allows the author (teacher or student) to add information as postit stickies, it also allows others to add comments or information to the wall - subject to the author’s approval. Students can then embed WallWisher walls they create into a Group Project Wiki, Google Doc presentation, or Blog.
Jing – is an alluringly addictive little piece of freeware that allows you to make screencasts (as well as screenshots) of whatever is appearing on your computer screen. Creating a screencast using Jing will bring a new dynamic process to your science or math class. Students are more engaged in the learning process and they have access to information presented in class 24 hours a day.
Podcasts – are an alternative to digital media such as videos, voice, or images. Student-created podcasts provide a good digital medium for student expression of science or math concepts, projects, and related themes. Podcasts reinforce concepts studied in class for both auditory and visual learners.
Animoto for Education – is ideal for allowing students to convert a collection of images from a project into a video. Animoto is a web-based application which creates YouTube style videos with the click of a button. Students simply upload images, add music, and they generate a unique video.
Posted by David Wetzel
Interactive White Board
An interactive White Board (IWB) or SMART Board has the potential to deliver content better than traditional methods of teaching. Why? Because it provides multi-media functional interaction across audio, video, and computer media. It is also ideal for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners.
These qualities of an IWB also promote the dynamic delivery of content (if used to its full potential) in an engaging manner, which allows students to interact with science or math content their self. Examples include:
So with all these attributes –
“How are interactive white boards unsuccessfully used in science and math classrooms?” For the most part – not effectively!
Ineffective Uses of IWBs
The following are examples of how interactive white boards are not used effectively in many science and math classrooms.
- Videos and Images – an IWB is used as a replacement for a pull down projector screen to show videos.
- Web Connectivity – failure to use the connectivity of an IWB with the Internet to its fullest potential or not linking to the web at all.
- Canned Lessons – using canned lessons and activities provided by IWB producers and other sources which have simply converted traditional rote memorization lessons into IWB lessons.
Effective Uses of IWBs
The primary purpose of interactive white boards is – Interactivity between teachers and students with content!
The following are the six most common manipulations used for securing interactivity:
- Drag and Drop – where an on-screen item is moved for purposes of classification, processing, comparing items, ordering terms, testing hypotheses etc. These actions often cause other actions or expect further action or comments from students.
- Hide and Reveal – hiding and then opening a response once a student has understood an idea. This allows the scaffolding of ideas so conceptual understanding takes place.
- Color, Shading and Highlighting – used for emphasizing similarities and differences, enhancing explanations, and allowing reinforcement through greater emphasis.
- Matching Items – examples include equivalent fractions, a straight line with its graph, an equation with its solution, chemical properties, physical properties, life cycles, and many more.
- Immediate Feedback – for teacher or student as consequence of one of the other five manipulations or assessment using Clickers.
More Professional Development: Solution to the Problem
Most teachers lack adequate professional development on how to create and find quality interactive lessons, along with how to integrate the technology effectively into classroom instruction. This is the huge contributing factor as to why IWBs or SMART Boards are used ineffectively in many classrooms.
Simply installing interactive white boards and saying use them is not the answer. Adequate professional development must be included with the installation. This is the primary reason why so many teachers become frustrated with the technology and are using them ineffectively in classrooms.
A self-assessment of IWB skills can provide teachers, professional development trainers, and administrators with the targeted goals for improving the interactivity of interactive white boards in the classrooms.
Posted by David Wetzel
When we teach science and math we are helping our students develop a framework for understanding the world in which they live. When their framework only consists of canned knowledge contained within textbooks, we are not preparing them for the 21st Century world outside the textbook.
Bringing digital media into the classroom moves teaching beyond the textbook and makes connections to the world in which our students actually live. When presented digital media within the contexts of problem solving or project based learning situations, our students will view how the information within their textbooks actually applies to them.
Online Tools: Digital Media Resources
Incorporating the right digital media is one the most effective means for engaging students’ and helping them understand a difficult concept or improve their long-term retention of knowledge.
So what online tools provide digital media needed to engage our students in problem solving and problem based learning situations in science and math?
- The Futures Channel – produces and distributes free high quality multimedia content which teachers can use to enliven curriculum and engage their students in real life experiences. The videos produced by The Futures Channel help students answer the age-old question, “When am I ever going to use this?”
- Flickr – is a photo-sharing site which provides free access to thousands of digital images. Examples of images which can be used in science and math include: Marine Life and Geometry. You can also build your own collection for use with students. You can have students submit digital images of specific concepts or take your own and post them on Flickr for student use. You can also create a collection from the resources on the site. An additional advantage of using this service is that you can limit access to classroom collections to avoid potential problems with student and the web.
- Teacher Tube – provides digital videos and photos organized on tags and channels – High School, Middle School, Elementary, Science, and Math. They are downloadable and you can use the entire video or just clips from a video for a lesson or activity.
Digital Media Resources: Student and Teacher Created
The following are some of the digital media resources you can use with your students – both online and in the classroom.
- Vimeo – allows you and your students to post videos created in or outside the classroom related to science and math content.
- VoiceThread - allows you and your students to add audio, video, and text as part of conversations concerning science or math content.
- Apple iMovie - plug in virtually any digital camcorder and iMovie starts importing your video for editing and presentation.
- Animoto - provides an array of tools for creating videos in your classroom.
- Podcasting – student or teacher created podcasts provide a good digital medium for student expression of concepts, projects, and related themes.
Teaching Strategies
To encourage students to become active viewers of the media you share during problem solving or problem based learning situations, try the following strategies.
- Show a short video clip and ask them “What can you do with this?” For example – try this 16 oz timer video to make connections with problem solving and critical thinking in science and math.
- Show students a digital image related to a specific concept and ask them to consider whether the image has been manipulated in any manner – fosters critical thinking.
- Stop videos at key points to encourage more discussion.
These strategies build students’ digital media-literacy skills, along with their understanding of the science and math content.
Digital Media follows the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words!” when it comes to science and math. The use of visuals is ideal for helping students construct background knowledge for developing a better understanding of science and math concepts.
